Grease-cup.



J. F. MACINDOE.

GREASE CUP.

APPLICATION FILED N0v.21. 1914.

Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

INVENFO JOHN (RANKLN MACINDOE By I\l6 1"1 N7 W To all whom it may concern UNrTnn snares PATENT @FFTGE.

JOHN FRANKLIN MACINDOE, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 HUTTON KENNEDY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

. ennnsn-cur.

nseam.

, /Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 9, 11915..

Application iiled November 21, 1914. Serial No. 873,288.

Be it known that I, J OHN FRANKLIN MAC- INDon, a citizen of the United States, residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Grease- Cups, of, which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to grease cups or lubricators from which the lubricant is ejected by means of pressure applied thereto,

the pressure gradually lessening as the volume of lubricant diminishes, and the delivery passage beingcontrolled by a valve movable with the pressure device so as to gradually increase the area of such passage as the pressure upon the lubricant decreases.

One object of my invention is to construct I a simple and eificient'lubricating device of this type, and a further object is to provide for effecting temporary increase in the volume of delivered lubricant whenever desired. These objects ll attain in the manner hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a fully charged lubricator constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a 7' vertical sectional view of the same after most of the lubricant has been discharged therefrom; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line aa, Fig. 2; Fig. is a view, partly. in outslde view and partly in horizontal sec-.

tion, on the line b?), Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of a'lubricator embodying a modification of my invention.

The body or cup 1 of the lubricator is closed at the top by a cap 2 and has at the bottom a nozzle 3 in which is formed the valve-controlled outlet passage 4 of the cup. Forming part of or secured to vthe nozzle structure 3 and extendinglup into the cup 1 is a tube 5, and to a transverse opening in the lower portion of this tube and corresponding openings in the nozzle structure 3 is adapted a transversely moving valve 6 notched or slotted for engagement with the lower end of a spring arm-7 which is suitably mounted at the upper end of the tube 5 and extends downwardly through the same for engagement with the valve 6, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.-

. The tube 5 serves as a guide for the threaded stem 8 of a plunger 9 which fits cap 2, it will limit, to any desired extent,

the depression of the plunger 9 under the pressure of the spring 10.

The normal position of the spring arm 7. is that represented in Fig. 1 and tending to move the valve 6'so as to almost close the outlet passage 4, this position of the valve corresponding with the fully charged cup in which the plunger 9 is raised to its highest point and the spring 10 is fully compressed, thus insuring maXimum downward pressure upon the plunger to force the lubricant from the cup. As the volume of lubricant decreases, however, and the spring 10 expands, the pressure upon the plunger 9 gradually diminishes and in order to ofi'set this diminution of pressure the valve 6 should be moved so as to gradually open the discharge passage 4 in proportion to such diminution of pressure upon the lubricant. In the cup shown in Figs. 1 and 2 this result is eifcted by mounting upon the upper end of the hollow stem 8 of the plunger a finger 12 which projects down inside said stem and into the tube 5, whereby, as the plunger descends, the finger 12 will also be caused to descend and will act upon the;

sage 4 to accord with the decreasing pres- I sure upon the lubricant and thus provide for a constant and uniform flow of lubricant to ,7

the bearing which is to be lubricated. It occasionally becomes necessary, however, to provide the bearing with an increased volume of lubricant for ashort time, and, in

order that this may be done, the valve 6 is susceptible of movement independently of the automatic adjusting means above described, so that whenever necessary the area presented by the delivery passage for the' discharge of lubricant may be qu ickly' increased. In the device shown in Figs. 1 and said valve in the direction of the arrow shown in said figure, the valve, owing to the action of the spring arm 7, returning to its normal position again as soon as such pres? sure is removed.

' While I prefer to use the transversely movable valve shown in Figs. 1 and 2 because of thecompact and convenient construction of the lubricator thereby permitted, my invention is not limited to a valve of this type, for instance in Fig. 5 I have illustrated a vertically disposed valve 13 contained within the plunger stem 8 and adapt- 1 ed to a seat in the forwardly projecting nozzle 3, this valve having, in its lower portion, one or more tapering ports 14 which gradually increase in area from the lower to the upper end, whereby, as the valve descends with the plunger, the area of the passage for thelubricant will be gradually increased.

The upper end of the valve 13 is normally maintained in contact with the upper end of the plunger stem 8 by means of a spring 15 which surrounds the valve stem 16 and bears upon a head-17 at the upper end thereof, the valve stem passing freely through an opening in the top of the plunger stem 8. Supposing, therefore, that the plunger is so disposed in the cup that the discharge of lubricant from the latter is governed by the contracted port area of the valve, pressure upon the head 17 will serve to depress the valve 13 independently of the plunger and thereby quickly increase the area of the passage through which the lubricant is being ejected, the spring 15, upon release of pressure from the head 17, immediately restoring the valve to its normal regulating position.

I claim: I

1. In combination, a lubricating cup provided with an outlet, means for forcibly feeding the contents of the cup through said outlet and comprising a pressure device the valve simultaneously with the plunger.

. 3. In combination, a lubricating cup havmg an outlet, a spring actuated plunger in said cup for forcibly discharging the lubricant through said outlet, a valve controlling the outlet and movable independently of the plunger, and means for efiecting opening movement of the valve proportionate to the movement of the plunger.

4. 'In combination, a lubricating cup having an outlet, a plunger for forcibly discharging the contents of the cup through said outlet, a valve controlling said outlet and movable independently of the plunger, and automatically operable means within the cup for causing opening movement of the valve in proportion tothe lubricant discharging movement of the plunger.

5. In combination, a lubricating cup having an outlet, a valve controlling saidoutlet, a plunger for forcibly discharging the con tents of the cup through said outlet, and automatically operable means within the cup for causing opening movement of the valve in proportion to the lubricant discharging movement of the plunger, said means comprising a cam device having engaging members in operative connection respectively with the valve and with the plunger.

6. In combination, a lubricating cup having an outlet, a valve controlling said outlet, a plunger. for forcibly discharging the contents of the cup through said outlet, and automatically operable means within the cup for causing opening movement of the valve in proportion to the lubricant discharging movement of the plunger, said means comprising a cam device connected to said valve, and a cam actuating member movable with the plunger.

7. In combination, a lubricating cup having an outlet in its bottom, a valve mounted for opening and closing movement with respect to said outlet, a spring actuated plunger in the cup, a hollow stem connected with said plunger, an adjusting nut on said stem, a tubular member arranged in the stem and supported by the lower portion of the cup, a cam device comprising a spring plate secured to said tubular member at one end and having interlocking connection at its other end with the valve, and an actuating member carried by the hollow stem and operating in the tubular member to engage the cam device for automatically moving the valve as the plunger moves.

8. In combination, a lubricating cup provided with an outlet passage, means for forcibly feeding the contents of the cup through said passage, and comprising a device the energy of which gradually decreases, a valve movable transversely across the outlet passage, and means whereby, as the force of the feeding devices gradually decreases, the valve will be moved so as to gradually open said passage.

9. In combination, a lubricating cup provided with an outlet passage, means for forcibly feeding the contents of the cup through said outlet passage and comprising a device the energy of which gradually decreases, an outlet-controlling valve movable to gradually increase its port area, yielding means for normally moving said valve into position corresponding to its minimum port area, and means whereby, as the energy of the feeding device gradually decreases, the

valve Will be moved to gradually increase its port area.

10. In combination, a lubricating cup provided With an outlet passage, means. for forcibly feeding the contents of the cup through said outlet passage and comprising a device the energy of which gradually decreases, an outlet-controlling valve, yielding means whereby said valve is moved to automatically increase the area of discharge as the force of the feeding device decreases, and means whereby said valve can be moved independently of said feeding device to increase the area of discharge.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of 25 two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN FRANKLIN MAOINDOE. Witnesses:

HAMILTON D. TURNER, HARRY L. SMITH. 

